ULAN BATOR, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Mongolian government has recently begun distributing livestock feed among the herder population in the areas heavily hit by extreme winter weathers, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.
"A working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Ulziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin has recently decided to distribute a total of 2,303 tons of grass to herders in six provinces, namely Arkhangai, Bulgan, Orkhon, Zavkhan, Khuvsgul and Uvs," the ministry said in a statement.
In addition, more than 2,000 tons of fodder have been provided in the provinces at discounted prices, the ministry said.
The assistance has come as part of the efforts to survive the extreme cold winter known as "Dzud" in Mongolia. Currently, around 60 percent of the nomadic country is still snow-covered, according to the agriculture ministry.
Mongolia's dzud refers to a frigid winter that comes after a dry summer and causes the death of a great number of livestock due to starvation or cold weather. In 2016, the dzud killed more than 1 million livestock animals nationwide.
Livestock husbandry is Mongolia's economic pillar, supporting the livelihood of nearly 40 percent of its nomad population.
Official data show the landlocked East Asian country has more than 230,000 herder households with livestock. The livestock population totaled 70.9 million by the end of 2019.
